Shura – 2Shy

Shura has announced plans for new single ‘2Shy’. This follows a breakout finish to 2014 for Shura, with debut track ‘Touch’ and recent single ‘Indecision’ landing the Anglo-Russian singer a nomination for the BBC Sound Poll, an iTunes Top 10 and the In-New-Music-We-Trust list at Radio 1. Having sold out her second ever London show at Village Underground (March 25th), Shura has confirmed plans for a headline date at Brixton Electricthis September, with festival slots already confirmed at the likes of SXSW, Field Day, Latitude, Festival No.6 and Bestival (plus European dates with Hot Chip and ‘Indecision’-remixers Jungle). ‘2Shy’ is available now on iTunes and streaming sites via Polydor, with further remixes, live and video plans to be announced in the coming weeks.

Arriving at the spaghetti-junction of a blossoming relationship, ‘2Shy’ is perhaps Shura’s most openly awkward, emotionally affecting but assured-where-it-matters composition to date. Slower and more stripped-back, there’s a blend of the gossamer-light, R&B torch songs of Mariah Carey with the homespun indie of Haim, shot through with a playfulness that will also think little about including a drum section inspired by Phil Collins. Pre-dating the break-up anthem of ‘Touch’ and the writing-on-the-wall of ‘Indecision’, ‘2Shy’ captures that more romantic, will-they-won’t-they frustration of a friendzone: “Let’s go find a corner we can sit in / And talk about that film instead of us / Even though throughout it, I was thinking / I was gonna say I love you afterwards.” This time, though, it’s just as much about your relationship with yourself, and those more universal insecurities (craving a cigarette, worrying about your outfit) which remain unsaid as you pass someone in the streets. Which is precisely what Shura did when she took to the Uxbridge Road with her Mum and recorded the noise of passers-by, gifting ‘2Shy’ the somewhat unique guest-feature of one man selling a QPR scarf.